Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle urged European governments on June 16, 2026 [1], to speed up regulatory changes allowing mobile phone groups to consolidate [1].
The push for consolidation aims to create the scale necessary to attract billions of euros in digital infrastructure investment [3]. Without these reforms, Della Valle said that Europe risks losing its competitive edge against the U.S. and Asia [1].
Speaking in London at the Reuters NEXT Europe event [1], Della Valle addressed a gathering of more than 300 global leaders [5]. She said the current regulatory environment hinders the ability of operators to grow and modernize their networks.
"We need to give operators the ability to merge and scale, otherwise Europe will fall behind the US and Asia," Della Valle said [1].
The CEO noted that the financial requirements for future digital growth are immense. She said regulatory change is essential for the digital infrastructure to attract the billions of euros of investment required [3].
According to Della Valle, the current fragmented market prevents operators from achieving the efficiencies needed to fund large-scale upgrades. She said Europe must act now to create a level playing field for mobile operators, and unlock the scale needed for future growth [4].
This call for reform comes as European telecommunications providers struggle to keep pace with the rapid infrastructure rollouts seen in other global markets. The ability to merge would allow companies to pool resources and reduce redundant costs across borders.
“We need to give operators the ability to merge and scale, otherwise Europe will fall behind the US and Asia.”
The demand for consolidation reflects a systemic struggle within the European telecom sector to achieve the economies of scale seen in the U.S. and Asian markets. If regulators resist mergers to protect short-term consumer competition, they may inadvertently stifle the long-term capital investment required for next-generation connectivity, potentially leaving Europe with outdated digital infrastructure.
